


Stories of the Second Self: Sacrament

by John_Steiner



Series: Alter Idem [19]
Category: Police - Fandom, Urban Fantasy - Fandom, crime - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:53:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22504324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/John_Steiner/pseuds/John_Steiner
Summary: Daniel Yi, a probationary detective of Cincinnati PD, investigates a church whose priest and congregants take the blood sacrament more severely.
Series: Alter Idem [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618813





	Stories of the Second Self: Sacrament

At first, one might've found that the church remodel including walling over all the windows. However, with the news stories around Cincinnati these days it made sense. I was sure my case would be wrapped up here one way or the other.

"Shit," I cursed, and whirled around to grab the doors.

"Language please," a voice called out from the other end of the nave. "This is a house of God after all."

"I'll believe it when I see it," I said, facing the front again searching for the source.

"Feel free to take the trench-coat off," the voice said.

"Uhh, yeah, about that." I left the rest unfinished.

"Why are you here, if not for the solace of the Lord's embrace?" the voice asked.

"Police work," I revealed, "For that matter, you might as well show yourself."

"Very well," spoke a man in clerical wardrobe, his hands before him, fingertips together. "How may I help you, my child."

I could tell from here, he wasn't alive. His eyes were solid black and his skin devoid of blood's life giving hue.

"That explains the windows," I said, nervously thumbing the badge billfold over my belt line.

"I minister to an unusual congregation," he told me.

"Yeah, that figures," I replied, wondering when he'd either rush me or try something else. "Would your congregation include one Kelly Garfield?"

"Is she a person of interest in your case?" he asked, tipping his hand.

"I never specified man or woman," I answered, and my hand subtly moved to my holstered sidearm. "She's wanted on suspicion of murder, fifty-three counts. That includes the four last week in Mount Airy Forest Park."

"We don't encourage murder in the house of God," the man says.

"That's not what I asked," I return to the real issue, "Cincinnati PD has record that she attended this church."

"We would have to confer and check our records," he said.

"We?" I repeat, and realize that second what he really meant.

From behind columns stepped into view ten vampires, all in their Sunday best.

"This case just got more interesting," I muttered to myself, as I slipped off the trench-coat.

With their infrared sight, surely my wings were visible, as was the sword on my back, drawing concern from one of them. "Reverend?"

"Was not Satan an angel of the Lord?" he reminded and encouraged them, "Only now he doesn't have the fallen host at his back."

If this were a movie, these nightcrawlers would've rushed me, but it's real life. They drew out handguns and shotguns.

"Ohh fuck!" I sighed under my breath, and reached for the sword.

I brought my wings up like a boxer, catching a couple rounds off them in the nick of time. Bolting for cover, I jump behind pews and stay crouched down while running. Putting my wings as far back as possible, I dreaded the thought that I left myself partly exposed.

Coming to the end of the row of seats, I was met by a vampire with a fifty caliber Desert Eagel in his hand. With his other, he grabbed my throat and lifted me off the floor.

Going for the sword again, I could already feel myself getting lightheaded as I choked. Yet, the sword came loose and lit up the immediate area with flames sprouting to lick up the blade.

With as much power as my flight muscles could muster, I sliced the weapon down, cutting clean through the middle of his forearm. The burning pain distracted him into dropping the gun, and before he had time to react, I ran the blade through his chest. The gaping expression of being blinded by agony, while he groped at the sword, burned into my consciousness.

Bracing a foot, I pulled the weapon out and quickly swung it around to severe his head. After that, I dashed for the cover of a church column, as shots rang out and bounced off stone.

"Have you forgotten where you are?" the blood drinking reverend scolded.

Unsure if he was talking to me or his followers, I called out, "The rest of you need to disarm now and place your hands over your heads!"

"Would you ask them also to defile the sacrament?" the minister yells loud enough, that his voice crosses over into an unholy screech.

"What happened to not encouraging murder?" I remarked, holding the sword up before me, and looking both ways.

"Neither do we discourage it," he answered, "This blessing was bestowed onto us, and we mean to follow His Will."

"Does your god demand you commit multiple felonies?" I yelled.

"God's Law above all," the reverend responded in a normal tone that still carried throughout the church.

"That's not the version I read," I shouted, "Romans Thirteen, Versus one through fourteen!"

"We don't prescribe to that interpretation here," the reverend rebuffed.

"Well, the remaining ten of you are going to have a hard day," I called back, "Or you can surrender and maybe the judge won't rack up multiple life sentences consecutively."

"In the name of--," another vampire declared, while he stepped into view with a shotgun.

"Fuck!" I brought up a wing just in time to catch buckshot to it. "Son-of-a-bitch, that hurts!"

Keeping my wings up, I rushed him. He pumped and fired once more, before I closed the gap. This time, it was panic fire, as he was running back to keep distance.

Yet, I swiped the blade while I dropped low, and severed both legs at the knees. Rising up, I held the sword up with the blade aimed straight at his heart. One thrust into his chest didn't kill him, but the searing heat invoked an ear-piercing screech and created enough blood loss that he was too weak for what came next.

In one hand, I whirled the blade about the wrist and passed the end through his neck. By then, other vampires piled onto me. Panicked myself, I dropped and rolled before they could get a grip, for one handhold would be more than I could pry off.

Jumping, I spun around with my wings flipping out. Feathers glanced across one vampire's eyes, and she stumbled back to rub at the fleeting contact. Others were knocked back, which allowed me to pump my wings and get away from the floor.

I went for the rafters, and found a crossbeam to land on. "God, I fuckin' hate bein' up this high!"

Vampire sight in the darkness was superb, but their other senses weren't any different, so it took a minute for them to figure out where I was.

"Daniel!" the reverend figured it out first, and looked right at me. "I know you! Your mother's priest and I spoke at length about her concerns for your soul. Father Grant and I might have our theological differences, but we both want you to find redemption."

I had pulled out my radio. "Seventy-Two, Thirteen, requesting backup, address as last given, over."

"Copy, Seventy-Two, Thirteen," Dispatch replied, "What's your situation?"

"Code Five, officer needs assistance," I answered, "Nine suspects on site, all Ocean Frank, copy?"

"Ocean Frank, copy, Seventy-Two, Thirteen," Dispatch confirmed my code for Open Feeders. "I have SWAT and watch commander en route. ETA, Seven minutes."

"Daniel!" the reverend waved down his vampire followers. "You might've thought it was a fluke for us to become what we are at Alter Idem, but with all of us turning it's a sign from the Father. He will bring the end times. He has revealed your angelic nature, so that you may signal His return!"

In the distance, I heard siren, which to me is far better than another angel blowing a trumpet. "Seems, I made a different call."

Murmuring among the vampires revealed to me their doubts, until the reverend admonished them, "You of little faith. We are God's chosen. The blood sacrament is the gift from the Son to His faithful."

"You're all going to do time," I called down to them, "But if you cooperate it won't be as long as the reverend's sentence."

Having none of that, the eight vampires scrammed. I didn't know where the other doors were, but I heard them hustle ass out of the central chamber. Being daylight outside, they would've had to cover up and wear polarized face shields that became such a hot commodity.

All but the reverend. "Faithless! God will not forgive this. And you, Daniel! How dare you! How dare you walk away from His Word! You, one of His angelic hosts. You will spend eternity chained in ice if you do not repent."

"Eh-heh!" I scoff, "Sure, right next to my number one boy, Satan."

"Your mother weeps for you in heaven," he tried again.

"Seventy-Two, Thirteen to Dispatch, ETA on SWAT," I whispered in the radio.

"SWAT is arriving on-scene now," the dispatcher replied.

"Okay," I said to myself nodded, then I checked to see that the reverend wasn't armed.

I stepped off the beam, and descended, right as the front doors were blown open by a battering ram. The light bent around my spread wings, as I descended to the floor, sword in hand.

The reverend shielded himself from the light, though none of it was UV, for he didn't sizzle at the exposure. "Sacrilege!"

"Reverend, you have the right to remain silent--." I begin to recite the Miranda Warning to him.

SWAT officers race around me, and two started cuffing the reverend while one kept a gun on him. The rest stormed the church, though none of the other vampires were discovered.

"Come back, Daniel," the reverend said, while being walked toward the door.

"You guys know to cover him up from the sun, right?" I advised.

"Yeah, we know," the SWAT team leader replied.

"And that's Patrolman Yi, to you," I declared to the reverend, "Citizen."


End file.
